Once a beloved figure in Hollywood, Stephen Collins was known for his wholesome roles, most notably as Reverend Eric Camden in the long-running family drama 7th Heaven. However, his career and public image took a drastic turn in 2014 when shocking allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced, effectively ending his time in the spotlight. Today, more than a decade later, many fans and curious onlookers wonder: Where is Stephen Collins now? This article dives deep into his rise to fame, the controversy that derailed his career, and his life in 2025, providing a comprehensive update on the disgraced actor.
The Rise of Stephen Collins: A Hollywood Star
Stephen Weaver Collins was born on October 1, 1947, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Madeleine and Cyrus Stickney Collins, an airline executive. Raised in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, alongside two older brothers, Collins showed an early interest in the arts. He attended Amherst College, where he graduated cum laude and honed his talents as part of the a cappella group, the Zumbyes. His journey into acting began in 1971 with an uncredited role in the TV series Dan August, but it wasn’t long before he started landing more prominent parts.
Collins’ early career included memorable roles such as Commander Willard Decker in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and fighter pilot Jake Cutter in the ABC series Tales of the Gold Monkey (1982-1983). These performances showcased his versatility and charm, establishing him as a reliable leading man. Over the years, he appeared in numerous TV movies and miniseries, earning a Primetime Emmy nomination in 1987 for his role in The Two Mrs. Grenvilles. However, it was his starring role in 7th Heaven that catapulted him to widespread fame.
Airing from 1996 to 2007 on The WB (and later The CW), 7th Heaven followed the Camden family, with Collins portraying Eric Camden, a compassionate Protestant minister and father of seven. The show’s focus on family values and moral dilemmas resonated with audiences, making it one of the longest-running family dramas in TV history. Collins’ portrayal of the wise and caring patriarch earned him accolades, including the 1997 Grace Award for Most Inspiring Performance in Television. For over a decade, he was seen as the quintessential “TV dad”—a symbol of virtue and stability.
Even after 7th Heaven ended, Collins continued to work steadily, taking on roles in shows like No Ordinary Family (2010-2011) as Dr. Dayton King and Revolution (2013-2014) as Dr. Gene Porter. His career seemed to be on a solid trajectory—until everything unraveled in 2014.
The Controversy That Changed Everything
In October 2014, Stephen Collins’ pristine public image shattered when TMZ released an audio recording from a 2012 therapy session with his then-wife, Faye Grant. In the tape, a voice believed to be Collins confessed to sexually abusing three underage girls between 1973 and 1994. The revelations were staggering: he admitted to exposing himself to two girls and inappropriately touching a third, one of whom was a relative of Grant’s. The recording, secretly made by Grant during their marriage counseling, thrust Collins into a media firestorm.
The allegations dated back decades. In 1973, Collins, then 25, exposed himself to a 10-year-old girl staying at his home. Other incidents occurred in 1982 and 1994, involving girls aged 12 and 13. Collins later confirmed the accusations in a detailed statement to People magazine in December 2014, saying, “Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since.” He insisted these were isolated incidents and that he had not acted on such impulses in the 20 years prior, attributing his restraint to therapy, 12-step recovery, and transcendental meditation (TM).
The fallout was swift and severe. Collins was dropped from upcoming projects, including a role in Ted 2 and a recurring spot on ABC’s Scandal. Reruns of 7th Heaven were pulled from networks like UP TV, and he resigned from his position on the SAG-AFTRA national board. His agency, APA, severed ties with him, and his once-thriving career came to an abrupt halt. Police investigations in Los Angeles, New York, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department ensued, but the statute of limitations had expired on the decades-old incidents, meaning Collins faced no criminal charges.
The scandal also took a personal toll. Collins and Grant, married since 1985 and parents to a daughter, Kate (born 1989), had separated in 2012 after 27 years together. Their divorce, finalized in January 2015, became contentious, with Grant alleging Collins used his celebrity status to gain the trust of his victims’ families. Collins’ attorney countered that Grant leaked the tape to extort a larger settlement, a claim she denied. The divorce left Collins’ personal and professional life in tatters.
Where Is Stephen Collins Now in 2025?
Since the 2014 scandal, Stephen Collins has largely retreated from public life, seeking solace far from Hollywood’s glare. As of the latest updates, he resides in Fairfield, Iowa, a small town known for its tight-knit community and strong ties to transcendental meditation—a practice Collins has followed since the 1980s. He moved there in August 2017, purchasing a modest $557,000 home overlooking Pleasant Lake. The three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, complete with an office and meditation room, reflects a simpler life compared to his days in Los Angeles.
Collins’ relocation to Iowa marked a fresh start, and in July 2019, he married Jenny Nagel, a German woman 40 years his junior. Nagel, then 32, was reportedly a 7th Heaven superfan who had expressed admiration for Collins’ character online years earlier. While it’s unclear how they met, their shared interest in transcendental meditation likely played a role. Nagel had moved to Fairfield in 2018 to study at Maharishi University of Management, founded by TM creator Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. The couple’s wedding came as a surprise to many, given Collins’ tarnished reputation, but they’ve since settled into a quiet routine.
Daily life for Collins now includes twice-daily TM sessions in nearby Maharishi Vedic City, where hundreds gather for members-only meditation gatherings. Photos from DailyMail.com in 2019 and In Touch in 2024 show him running errands, attending meditation sessions, and even returning empty bottles for change—a far cry from his Hollywood heyday. Sporting a scruffy gray beard, glasses, and a baseball cap, the 77-year-old looks unrecognizable from the clean-cut Reverend Camden. Sources suggest he’s “living close to the bone,” embracing a low-key existence devoid of the glamour he once knew.
Collins has not returned to acting since his last role in 2014, providing voice work for Avengers Assemble. Hollywood appears to have closed its doors to him permanently, and he’s made no public attempts to reclaim his career. Instead, he’s focused on personal healing, as he outlined in his 2014 People statement: “I have been in extensive therapy for over twenty years, years of 12 Step recovery, personal growth workshops, private religious confession, and daily prayers of atonement.”
The Legacy of the Scandal
The impact of Collins’ actions continues to reverberate. In 2024, his 7th Heaven co-stars Beverley Mitchell, David Gallagher, and Mackenzie Rosman launched a rewatch podcast, Catching Up With the Camdens. In their premiere episode, they addressed the scandal head-on, condemning Collins’ “inexcusable” behavior while emphasizing they had no inappropriate experiences with him on set. They made it clear he would never be a guest on their show, aiming to reclaim the series’ nostalgic joy for fans despite its tainted legacy.
Meanwhile, a new Investigation Discovery series, Hollywood Demons, premiered on March 24, 2025—the very date of this article’s writing. The two-hour episode, Stephen Collins: America’s Dad, features interviews with one of Collins’ alleged victims and 7th Heaven castmates like Jeremy London, delving into the stark contrast between his on-screen persona and off-screen actions. Posts on X from March 2025 reflect ongoing public fascination and outrage, with users referencing the documentary and Collins’ current life with Nagel.
Final Thoughts
Stephen Collins’ journey from Hollywood stardom to obscurity is a cautionary tale of how quickly fame can unravel. Once celebrated for embodying moral integrity, he now lives a subdued life in Iowa, far removed from the industry that once embraced him. His marriage to Jenny Nagel and dedication to meditation suggest an attempt to find peace, though the shadow of his past remains inescapable.
Collins appears content to stay out of the spotlight, leaving fans and critics to grapple with the duality of his legacy. Stephen Collins is alive, married, and quietly rebuilding in Fairfield, Iowa—a world away from the controversies that defined his fall. Whether this chapter offers redemption or simply retreat, only time will tell.
